Medical Tourism – WebMDhttp://webmd.cn
China's Premiere Medical PortalSat, 29 Jul 2017 12:52:43 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5Dental tourism in Thailand – “Searching for Adventure, and Dentistry”http://webmd.cn/dental-tourism-thailand-searching-adventure-dentistry/
http://webmd.cn/dental-tourism-thailand-searching-adventure-dentistry/#respondMon, 13 Mar 2017 07:59:57 +0000http://webmd.cn/?p=785In a series of New York Times articles published this week entitled “Searching for Adventure, and Dentistry” and “Being a Savvy Medical Tourist While Enjoying a Vacation,” one American journalist chronicled her family’s trip to Thailand for dental tourism. Dental care in the United States According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a relatively […]

Dental care in the United States

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a relatively high percentage of Americans receive dental care on a regular basis:

Percent of children aged 2-17 with a dental visit in the past year: 84.7% (2015)

Percent of adults aged 18-64 with a dental visit in the past year: 64.0% (2015)

Percent of adults aged 65 and over with a dental visit in the past year: 62.7% (2015)

Yet according to 2014 data from the National Association of Dental Plans, 114 million Americans lack dental insurance, rendering the cost of receiving regular dental care in the United States quite expensive.

There were already more than 29,000 dental care delivery organizations in China in 2014, generating revenue equivalent to more than USD $4.4 billion according to an 2016 KPMG report entitled “Commercial Opportunities in the Dental Care Market in China.” At the market’s current growth rate, it’s estimated there will be more than 42,000 dental care delivery organizations by 2020.

However, today’s Chinese market remains plagued by a shortage of skilled practitioners and access to quality care. For example, despite strong growth in the number of registered dentists in China, the country only averaged one dentist per 10,000 people in 2013. Additionally, because of this shortage of dentists, as well as a lack of widespread dental insurance, receiving regular dental care in the People’s Republic of China is also quite expensive.

Dental tourism in Thailand

Many of the doctors and dentists at respected hospitals and clinics in places like Thailand have (i) trained in western countries like Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States, (ii) speak English and (iii) are internationally accredited.

Moreover, many Thai dental clinics specializing in international patients make it easy to get estimates and make appointments online. In addition to locking in costs and appointments, patients should be sure to ask how much time is needed for the work to be done, as well as recovery.

The New York Times’ journalist found that in addition to saving on overall procedure costs (for root canal therapy), she was also able to opt for higher-quality, longer-lasting materials in Thailand, rather than the lesser options that she would have been limited to back in the United States.

According to Dental Departures (an international dental tourism company that matches customers with clinics):

Thailand boasts some of the largest and most modern dental hospitals in the entire world. Tens of thousands of dental tourists have been successfully treated by expert dentists in a tropical locale. Most frequent visitors: Australians, Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders. Some of Thailands top rated clinics include Bangkok International Dental Center and Sea Smile Dental Clinic in Phuket.

Of the $215 billion that Chinese tourists spent last year overseas, a whopping $10 billion went towards overseas medical tourism.

Although China’s wealthier upper class continues to favor medical tourism destinations in the United States and Western Europe, China’s growing middle-class have shown increasing interest in the more affordable medical tourism options offered in South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

]]>http://webmd.cn/5th-china-international-medical-tourism-fair-beijing/feed/0More Americans and Chinese Traveling to India for Hepatitis C Treatmenthttp://webmd.cn/americans-chinese-travel-india-hepatitis-c-treatment/
http://webmd.cn/americans-chinese-travel-india-hepatitis-c-treatment/#commentsFri, 03 Jun 2016 03:32:16 +0000http://webmd.cn/?p=632As reported by CNN this week, increasing numbers of Americans are traveling halfway across the world to India to buy the revolutionary Hepatitis C medicine Sofosbuvir, as well as other prescription drugs. Hepatitis C Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV primarily affects the liver, and although early-stage […]

]]>As reported by CNN this week, increasing numbers of Americans are traveling halfway across the world to India to buy the revolutionary Hepatitis C medicine Sofosbuvir, as well as other prescription drugs.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV primarily affects the liver, and although early-stage symptoms tend to be mild or even nonexistent, HCV can infect the liver for years and eventually lead to liver disease and/or cirrhosis (the latter in turn leading to liver failure or cancer). Globally, more than 130 million people are estimated to be infected with HCV.

Sofosbuvir

In late-2013, United States (U.S.) pharmaceutical firm Giliad Sciences released the drug Sofosbuvir (sold under the brand names “Sovaldi” and “Harvoni”), which has been proven to be effectively a cure for Hepatitis C. However, in the U.S. the drug is expensive, costing around USD $84,000 for a doctor-recommended 12-week course. In contrast, a 12-week course of generic Sofosbuvir can be purchased for just USD $500 in India.

Chinese Medical Tourism

Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that increasing numbers of Chinese have also been travelling to India to purchase Sofosbuvir. In China, Sofosbuvir is not even available for sale, as it is still in the testing phase and has not been approved by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). Consequently, domestic treatment in China is still limited to older therapies such as injections of interferon, which are not only less effective but also cause harsh side effects such as headaches and hair loss.

SFDA data shows that Hepatitis C drugs from Gilead Sciences, as well as Bristol-Meyers Squibb and AbbVie, are all in trials in China, and could be available for sale there in the near future. In the meantime, a number of Beijing- and Shanghai-based companies are offering medical tourism packages to India and Bangladesh for as little as RMB 30,000-40,000 (~ USD $4500-6000). These packages include not only medication, but also flights, hotels and consultation with local doctors.

With an estimated 10 million Chinese infected with hepatitis C, and available medications shown to cure more than 90% of patients within a few months, overseas medical tourism for this disease could potentially be worth more than USD $50 billion according to a recent report by Founder Securities.

]]>http://webmd.cn/americans-chinese-travel-india-hepatitis-c-treatment/feed/1Beijing remains a preferred destination for domestic medical tourismhttp://webmd.cn/beijing-domestic-medical-tourism/
http://webmd.cn/beijing-domestic-medical-tourism/#commentsWed, 16 Apr 2014 09:51:13 +0000http://webmd.cn/?p=581Increasing numbers of patients are traveling to Beijing for medical treatment, according to a recent report by the city’s Health and Family Planning Commission. The growth rate in the number of patients in Beijing hospitals continued to outpace the city’s population growth rate in 2013 — Beijing hospitals received 8 percent more patients than in […]

]]>Increasing numbers of patients are traveling to Beijing for medical treatment, according to a recent report by the city’s Health and Family Planning Commission. The growth rate in the number of patients in Beijing hospitals continued to outpace the city’s population growth rate in 2013 — Beijing hospitals received 8 percent more patients than in 2012 (with over 218 million outpatients and 2.9 million inpatients), while the city’s population grew by only 4.41 percent during the year.

Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Xiehe Hospital) is considered by many to be the best general hospital in China. The state-run hospital boasts a reputable foreigners’ wing, with many English-speaking doctors who have been trained overseas.

Domestic medical tourism is driven by stark differences in the quality of medical services provided across China, and has created a major burden for hospitals in Beijing. More than 50 percent of patients who travel to Beijing seeking treatment come from five provinces and regions: Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi and Henan provinces, as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. These patients often come seeking not only need basic treatment, but also luxury and VIP medical services.

To ease the burden on its public hospitals, Beijing approved 34 new private hospitals in 2013, and had 374 private hospitals by the end of the year, accounting for more than half of the hospitals in the city.

]]>http://webmd.cn/beijing-domestic-medical-tourism/feed/3Top five cancer hospitals in the United States of Americahttp://webmd.cn/top-cancer-hospitals-us/
http://webmd.cn/top-cancer-hospitals-us/#commentsTue, 18 Mar 2014 11:13:36 +0000http://webmd.cn/?p=503There are dozens of cancer treatment hospitals in the United States, specializing in treating many forms of cancer. The best cancer treatment hospitals are ranked annually by US News and World Report, based on patient death rates, hospital reputation, and patient safety along with other medical factors such as nursing staff and technologies that are […]

]]>There are dozens of cancer treatment hospitals in the United States, specializing in treating many forms of cancer. The best cancer treatment hospitals are ranked annually by US News and World Report, based on patient death rates, hospital reputation, and patient safety along with other medical factors such as nursing staff and technologies that are offered at the hospital. These and other hospitals collaborate with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which coordinates the U.S. National Cancer Program and conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other activities related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer; the supportive care of cancer patients and their families; and cancer survivorship.

The NCI has set up a network of 12 Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers (PS-OCs) linking the physical sciences to the study of cancer.

1. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) is one of the original three comprehensive cancer centers in the United States, and is widely regarded as the best cancer hospital in the United States, having topped U.S. News & World Report for ten of the past twelve years, including 2013. The hospital’s International Center provides information for the hundreds of patients who go to MD Anderson Cancer Center from outside the United States each year.

2. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) has long been a leader in cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy and is the world’s largest and oldest dedicated cancer hospital. It was the first to develop services specifically dedicated to the psychiatric aspects of cancer, to the relief of cancer pain, and to genetic counseling. The hospital’s website provides information for international patients.

3. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (Rochester, MN) is the first and largest integrated not-for-profit medical group practice in the world, employing more than 3,800 physicians and scientists and 50,900 allied health staff. The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center with a multisite presence. The hospital’s Patient and Visitor Guide provides international services to help ensure that distance and language are not obstacles to receiving world-class care.

4. Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, MD) is widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest hospitals. The hospital’s Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center was recognized early on by the National Cancer Institute, becoming one of the first to earn comprehensive cancer center status and recognition as a “Center of Excellence.” The hospital’s website provides International Patient Services for patients traveling to Johns Hopkins from outside the United States, and collaborates with affiliates across the world to improve health care globally.

]]>http://webmd.cn/top-cancer-hospitals-us/feed/12Top 10 countries for plastic surgeryhttp://webmd.cn/top-10-plastic-surgery/
http://webmd.cn/top-10-plastic-surgery/#commentsMon, 14 Oct 2013 04:15:23 +0000http://wangyisheng.org/?p=437The top ten countries for plastic surgery, according to statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, show the United States in the lead with 3.1 million people having undergone cosmetic surgery in 2011 (more than any other country in the world), while China ranked third with just over 1 million people having undergone cosmetic […]

]]>The top ten countries for plastic surgery, according to statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, show the United States in the lead with 3.1 million people having undergone cosmetic surgery in 2011 (more than any other country in the world), while China ranked third with just over 1 million people having undergone cosmetic surgery in 2011.

It’s no secret that the number of Asian people who are willing to travel within the region for reasonable and more trusted cosmetic surgery is growing dramatically. South Korea, Thailand and Singapore are among the top East Asian medical tourism destinations, while China has begun to follow in the footsteps of its neighbors.

The top ten countries for plastic surgery were:

10) Colombia. In 2011, more than 1 million people visited the country, and insiders say at least 3 percent come for plastic surgery. Travel agents and plastic surgeons in Colombia often promote two-week surgery vacation package that include operations such as liposuction, breast lifts and calve adjustments, while also including apartments with maid service (not as a base for sightseeing, but rather as a place for post-op recovery).

A billboard announces cosmetic surgery discounts on the streets of Cali, Colombia.

9) France. The World Health Organisation has commented that France has the best and most effective healthcare system in the world. Some of the best cosmetic surgery techniques actually originated in France, where many top surgeons and practitioners still come from all over the world to be trained in France. The country’s reputation has suffered recently due to a recent scandal involving defective silicone gel breast implants manufactured by French company PIP (Poly Implant Prosthese), which although approved by the French government were found to be substandard with a relatively high chance of bursting.

8) India. One of the leading destinations for low cost cosmetic surgery, India has world class hospitals with far lower facility costs that translate to dramatically reduced cosmetic surgery costs. Many Indian medical tourism destinations furnish vacationers with a beach or other high-end resort package, and while airline tickets can be quite pricey, patients often enjoy 90% savings on plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures as compared with similar procedures in America. Of course, the growth of the Indian cosmetic surgery sector has been propelled by not just inbound patients, but a huge number of domestic patients as well.

Cheap rates are the main reason driving these clients to India for cosmetic surgery.

7) South Korea. Some 650,000 people had plastic surgery in South Korea in 2011, where statistics state that one in five women undergoes some such procedure. Such procedures are so prevalent in the country that most of the stigma regarding surgery has dropped away, and celebrities and beauty queens openly discuss treatment.

Cosmetic surgery advertisements are everywhere in South Korea, from street billboards to subway stations, magazines and popular Internet sites.

6) Italy. While other countries lead the pack in terms of the highest total numbers of procedures, Italy actually ranks third when these numbers are adjusted by population to show how commonplace these cosmetic procedures are (South Korea ranks first when population is taken into account). A large proportion of the cosmetic procedures performed in Italy were non-invasive, a category that includes botox injections, chemical peels, and laser hair removal.

Nearly half of the cosmetic procedures performed in Italy are non-invasive procedures, such as botox injections.

5) Mexico. Another relatively low cost medical tourism destination, Mexico has seen a marked increase in its number of plastic surgery centers. The city of Tijuana is an extremely popular medical tourism destination because of its proximity to the United States, and many plastic surgery centers in Tijuana are located in or around resort areas. An additional perk of Mexican hospitals is that they often have plastic surgeons who are certified to do plastic procedures in the United States.

Mexico has become a medical tourism destination renowned for its modern cosmetic surgery clinics.

4) Japan. While in a bygone era Japanese considered augmentation of one’s appearance to be associated with extreme vanity, referring to those who underwent augmentation procedures as “Kewpie dolls” (women) or “cute” (men), modern Japanese have embraced plastic and cosmetic surgery, often to extremes including commonplace cosmetic surgery for children.

A Japanese woman gained fame by undergoing 30 plastic surgeries in order to appear European.

3) China. Before 1980 cosmetic surgery was completely banned throughout all communist China, but in the modern era cosmetic surgery has become increasingly popular. In contrast to trends in the west, typically the most popular cosmetic procedures in China are not breast enhancement, liposuction, or abdominoplasty, but rather double slit operations designed to create larger eyes. Other popular procedures trending in China include reducing eyes bags, sculpting noses and shaving the jawbones to make softer faces.

Chinese doctors help a young girl, Xiao Mei, to unfasten the bandages after she received breast augmentation surgery at a hospital in Dongguan city, South China’s Guangdong province,

2) Brazil. Plastic surgeons in Brazil are among the most skilled in the world, largely as a result of Brazilian society’s openness concerning body aesthetic — plastic surgery is often a way of life in Brazil. The country has also developed into a world capital of cosmetic and plastic surgery due to medical tourism patients from around the world (primarily from the United States and Europe), attracted by consistent outcomes and relatively low costs.

Brazilian doctors administer a high-tech treatment used first to tighten a patient’s jowls and then to sculpt her tummy.

1) United States of America. With over 3 million procedures performed, or 21.1% of the global total, the United States accounted for the most cosmetic enhancements for the second year in a row. This may be because the US has the largest body of licensed plastic surgeons.

Plastic surgeries in the United States have increased by nearly 500 percent (and most were purchased with credit).

]]>http://webmd.cn/top-10-plastic-surgery/feed/4State of the art liposuction technologies available in Los Angeleshttp://webmd.cn/liposuction-technologies/
http://webmd.cn/liposuction-technologies/#commentsTue, 20 Aug 2013 15:52:46 +0000http://wangyisheng.org/?p=310Liposuction is a very common plastic surgery procedure where your body’s excess fat is suctioned out through canulas inserted through small 1-2 cm stab incisions that heal very well. It is ideally used for patients looking to establish a better body contour and not a substitute for weight loss. Optimal results are obtained after you […]

Liposuction is ideally used for patients looking to establish a better body contour and not a substitute for weight loss.

Liposuction is a very common plastic surgery procedure where your body’s excess fat is suctioned out through canulas inserted through small 1-2 cm stab incisions that heal very well. It is ideally used for patients looking to establish a better body contour and not a substitute for weight loss. Optimal results are obtained after you have reached your weight loss goal.

Various technologies exist for enhancing the effects of traditional lipoduction. Some of the more popular ones include laser liposuction (e.g. SmartLipo, Laser Lipo), ultrasound assisted liposuction (e.g. VASER), and waterjet liposuction (e.g. Body Jet). All these techniques aim at enhancing your figure by removing your skin’s excess fat, tightening your skin, and minimizing injury to important non-fatty structures in your skin.

]]>http://webmd.cn/liposuction-technologies/feed/1165 Chinese hospitals licensed for organ transplantshttp://webmd.cn/165-chinese-hospitals-licensed-for-organ-transplants/
http://webmd.cn/165-chinese-hospitals-licensed-for-organ-transplants/#commentsWed, 14 Aug 2013 03:48:43 +0000http://www.wangyisheng.asia/?p=85A total of 165 hospitals across China have been allowed to conduct human organ transplants. These hospitals span the country’s 31 provincial-level regions, with 20 from Beijing taking up the biggest share, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission. Pilot hospitals allowed to transplant organs donated after cardiac death are not included, the […]

A total of 165 hospitals across China have been allowed to conduct human organ transplants.

These hospitals span the country’s 31 provincial-level regions, with 20 from Beijing taking up the biggest share, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

Pilot hospitals allowed to transplant organs donated after cardiac death are not included, the commission added.

China now has the world’s second-largest demand for organ transplants. About 300,000 patients suffer organ failure each year, but only around 10,000 transplants are performed annually due to a lack of donors.

China introduced an organ donation system in 2010, with the non-governmental Red Cross Society serving as an independent third party in supervising and facilitating donation procedures.

]]>http://webmd.cn/165-chinese-hospitals-licensed-for-organ-transplants/feed/3Best Thai hospital: Bumrungrad vs. Bangkok?http://webmd.cn/best-thai-hospital-bumrungrad-vs-bangkok/
http://webmd.cn/best-thai-hospital-bumrungrad-vs-bangkok/#respondTue, 13 Aug 2013 11:24:32 +0000http://www.wangyisheng.asia/?p=53Thailand is one of the world leaders for medical tourism. While there are many hospitals in Thailand that cater to medical tourists, Bumrungrad Hospital and Bangkok Hospital are two full-service facilities that have strong reputations for quality and experience with foreigners. A medical tourist would be well taken care of in either of these world-class hospitals.

Thailand is one of the world leaders for medical tourism. While there are many hospitals in Thailand that cater to medical tourists, Bumrungrad Hospital and Bangkok Hospital are two full-service facilities that have strong reputations for quality and experience with foreigners.

A medical tourist would be well taken care of in either of these world-class hospitals.

]]>http://webmd.cn/best-thai-hospital-bumrungrad-vs-bangkok/feed/0Plastic surgery in the City of Angelshttp://webmd.cn/plastic-surgery-in-the-city-of-angels/
http://webmd.cn/plastic-surgery-in-the-city-of-angels/#respondTue, 13 Aug 2013 10:25:07 +0000http://www.wangyisheng.asia/?p=37The world has become our playground as well as our home. In a new age of globalization, international travel and tourism, once formidable monetary and travel barriers are coming down. What was the privilege of the few and elite of the world is now potentially accessible to the rapidly growing population of wealthy individuals and […]

]]>The world has become our playground as well as our home. In a new age of globalization, international travel and tourism, once formidable monetary and travel barriers are coming down. What was the privilege of the few and elite of the world is now potentially accessible to the rapidly growing population of wealthy individuals and families that seek the best the world has to offer.

Wealthy tourists are able to travel the world in search of the best of the best. With new found wealth and the ability to travel for leisure, sightseers from around the world flock to unique destinations such as Machu Picchu in Peru, or the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, or treat their palates to 5-star Michelin culinary extravaganzas at fine restaurants in New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, or Los Angeles.

When money is no longer an obstacle, the affluent seek to become more than themselves. They seek to experience what is unreachable; something that money cannot buy. Fame. Celebrity. Exclusivity. Unparalleled Quality and Royal Service.

What better defines this type of exclusivity, fame, quality, and service than Beverly Hills or Hollywood? One of the epicenters of culture and global celebrity life, Beverly Hills and nearby Hollywood holds a special place in the hearts of all who hear these names. Beyond the physical buildings, movie studios, hotels, world class shopping, and tourist traps, Beverly Hills and Hollywood represent our dreams and where everything and anything can happen. It represents the best of the best, in terms of material wealth, opportunity, and exclusivity. Everyone has money, with each person wealthier and more famous than the next. But what not everyone has is access, the type of access that money cannot buy.

Access. A simple, but defining term. Having money is mundane. Having access to The Los Angeles Country Club is not. Having access to Celebrities like Magic Johnson is not. Having a private tour of the Playboy mansion is not. Having access to unique real estate investment and development opportunities are not. Having access to the best and most advanced health care treatments in the world is not. Having access to the best cosmetic surgery in the world is not.

Opportunities and concierge access to the exclusivity of Beverly Hills has been restricted until now. Kronos Health Consortium is now able to provide access to the best of the best. We provide Access to unique opportunities available to “old money” that simply cannot be bought. Gone are the days where one would go to Thailand, Korea, and South America for their cosmetic surgery. Gone are the days when you’ll hear horror stories of botched but discounted procedures, which may be impossible to fix. Skill, ability, and quality has supplanted discounted procedures and services. The skill and medical technology is simply unsurpassed in Beverly Hills. For those individuals that seek the best of the best, we deliver the best of Beverly Hills and Hollywood.